The Mental Health Social Worker

Should Be Considered Risk Factor for Osteoporosis; Immune System Involved

Premenopausal women with even mild depression have less bone mass than do their nondepressed peers, a study funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shows.  The level of bone loss is at least as high as that associated with recognized risk factors for osteoporosis, including smoking, low calcium intake, and lack of physical activity.

Hip bones, the site of frequent fractures among older people, were among those showing the most thinning in depressed premenopausal women.  The reduced bone mass puts them at higher risk of these costly, sometimes fatal fractures and others as they age, the researchers note in the November 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.  The report was submitted by Giovanni Cizza, MD, PhD, MHSc, of NIMH and the NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); Farideh Eskandari, MD, MHSc, of NIMH; and colleagues. (more…)

A statistic well known to counselors is that the proportion of the U.S. population aged 50 or older is increasing as the large numbers in the “baby boom” cohort (persons born between 1946 and 1964) reach age 50. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expects this to place increasing demands on the substance abuse treatment system in the next two decades.

Estimates suggest that the number of substance-dependent and abusing adults aged 50 or older will climb from approximately 1.7 million in 2001 to 4.4 million by 2020.This pattern of growth is echoed in admissions to substance abuse treatment, where adult admissions aged 50 or older increased from 143,900 to 184,400 (from 8 to 10 percent of all admissions) between 2001 and 2005. Consequently, counseling services and related treatment for substance abuse may soon need to adapt to address the needs of this growing population.

The SAMHSA findings can be found at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/older/older.htm

ACA recently participated in a simulated terrorism response exercise developed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Red Cross. The TOPOFF 4 (“TOP OFFicials”) exercise simulated a “dirty bomb” going off in Mesa, Arizona, Portland, Oregon and on Guam. This is the first time that the Red Cross has had mental health counseling as the largest element of its service delivery strategy, and the subsequent success prompted the Red Cross to re-draw the boundaries of service delivery beyond the affected areas. The simulation allowed for situational awareness in real time, using nationwide data, and provided a realistic simulation for resource deployment. Robin Yin, MSW, LISW – Manager of Disaster Health and Mental Health at the Red Cross – said three major developments came from the latest TOPOFF exercise: 1) Red Cross is training lay relief operation workers in psychological first aid ala a CPR model; this will allow ACA and other organizations to focus on high risk cases and crisis intervention, 2) The “Facing Fear” curriculum for kids is being extended for adults with a mock group of SMEs for training relief operation, and 3) The PsySTART Mental Health Triage system was used with simulated victims in Portland, OR. ACA’s simulated response involved deployment of 500 counselors to the stricken sites. ACA is a member of the Red Cross PEER (Partners for Effective Emergency Response) program and represents the counseling profession. For more information about TOPOFF, visit http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/press_release_0932.shtm.

Flexible work arrangements give workers more control over their environment, which helps performance and overall job satisfaction

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WASHINGTON, DC—Telecommuting is a win-win for employees and employers, resulting in higher morale and job satisfaction and lower employee stress and turnover. These were among the conclusions of psychologists who examined 20 years of research on flexible work arrangements.

The findings, based on a meta-analysis of 46 studies of telecommuting involving 12,833 employees, are reported in the current issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA). (more…)

Arlington, Va. – The American Psychiatric Association (APA) applauds recent Congressional efforts to acknowledge and improve treatment for the large number of people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders who are currently incarcerated in U.S. jails and prisons.

According to a 2006 report by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), entitled “Mental Health Problems of Prison and Jail Inmates,” more than half of the population incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails – including 56 percent of state prisoners, 45 percent of federal prisoners and 64 percent of local jail inmates – were found to have a mental illness. Many of these inmates suffer from treatable disorders such as major depression, bipolar disorder and substance use disorder. (more…)

ADHD brain maturation delay
(Video, MP4 File)

In youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the brain matures in a normal pattern but is delayed three years in some regions, on average, compared to youth without the disorder, an imaging study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has revealed. The delay in ADHD was most prominent in regions at the front of the brain’s outer mantle (cortex), important for the ability to control thinking, attention and planning.  Otherwise, both groups showed a similar back-to-front wave of brain maturation with different areas peaking in thickness at different times (see movie below). (more…)

After 10 years since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the criteria for classifying HIV-related neurocognitive disorders may need to be revised and updated, according to a working group designated by NIMH and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to study the issue. The study was published October 30, 2007, in the journal Neurology.

The current criteria, first established in 1991, describe two categories of neurological disorders associated with HIV infection—HIV-associated dementia and the less severe minor cognitive motor disorder. However, in the decade since HAART became widely available, the treatment has been shown to modify the progression of HIV-associated neurological disorders, leading the working group to conclude that the existing categories no longer encompass all forms of HIV-associated neurological conditions. Therefore, it suggested that a third type of HIV-associated neurological disorder be adopted—asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI).  ANI would apply to those HIV patients who exhibit slight neurocognitive impairment, but do not show overt signs of it.

The researchers acknowledge that coexisting disorders and other complex factors may complicate the suggested new categorization, but they provided a formula designed to tease out how these coexisting disorders may affect the HIV-related neurocognitive disorder. They conclude that further research is needed to support the recommended changes.

Reference

Antinori A, et al. Updated research nosology for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders . Neurology. 2007 Oct 30;69(18):1789-99.

Behavior problems, lack of social skills not linked with later achievement

WASHINGTON— Children entering kindergarten with elementary math and reading skills are the most likely to do well in school later, even if they have various social and emotional problems, say researchers who examined data from six studies of close to 36,000 preschoolers. Children’s attention-related skills also mattered, the researchers found.

These findings are reported on in the November issue of Developmental Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA). (more…)

NORTH HAVEN, Connecticut–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Covidien Ltd. (NYSE: COV, BSX: COV), proveedor líder de productos de atención sanitaria, ha lanzado el sistema de sellado pulmonar

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SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Emeritus Corporation (AMEX: ESC), a national provider of assisted living and Alzheimer’s and related dementia care services to

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• Combined data from 2004 to 2006 indicate that an annual average of 7.0 percent of veterans aged 18 or older experienced past year serious psychological distress (SPD), 7.1 percent met the criteria for a past year substance use disorder (SUD), and 1.5 percent had co-occurring SPD and SUD
• Veterans aged 18 to 25 were more likely than older veterans to have higher rates of past year SPD, SUD, and co-occurring SPD and SUD
• Veterans with family incomes of less than $20,000 per year were more likely than veterans with higher family incomes to have had SPD, SUD, and co-occurring SPD and SUD in the past year

(more…)

New Feature Will Bring the Latest Cutting Edge Research Online Ahead of Print

Arlington, Va. – After 164 years of publication as a monthly print edition, The American

Journal of Psychiatry (AJP) is proud to introduce a new reader benefit that will speed the

flow of peer-reviewed psychiatric research to psychiatrists, patients, and to the mental

health community. (more…)

BOCA RATON, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The GEO Group (NYSE: GEO) (“GEO”) today reported third quarter and year-to-date 2007

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DUBLIN, Ireland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c74187)

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LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hythiam, Inc. (NASDAQ:HYTM) today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2007, which include the consolidated results from

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NORFOLK, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ValueOptions, the nation’s largest independent behavioral health company, announced today that it has named Edward R. Jones,

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IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: COR, http://www.cortexpharm.com) reported a net loss of

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FRANKFURT, Alemania & PRINCETON, Nueva Jersey–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dos organismos de investigación por contrato líderes, Manipal AcuNova Ltd (MAL), India y ECRON GmbH, Europa, han suscrito

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SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In celebration of National Hospice Month, Pathways Home Health, Hospice & Private Duty will host a series of Holiday Grief Workshops and Celebration

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SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Emeritus Corporation (AMEX: ESC), a national provider of assisted living and Alzheimer’s and related dementia care services to

Originally Syndicated via RSS from Business Wire Health: Mental Health News